Ventilating insole



May 1, 1923.

J- KLEPAC VENTILATING INsoLE Filed Feb. l0, 1921 T L l Q INVENTOR Lfose/vi? jloc BY ATTOR n Y.

Patented May 1, 1923.

UNITED "STATES JOSEPH KLEPAC, or NEW YORK, N.y Y.

VENTILATING INSOLE.

Application filed Februaryl, 1921. Serial No. 443,886. i

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, JOSEPH KLELPAG, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ventilating Insoles, of which the following is a specification. p n

This invention has relation to footwear and has for an object to provide means for Ventilating the interior of footwear while the same is being worn to provide for the comfort of Ithe wearer and for other purposes to be hereinafter set forth.`

Another object of the invention is to provide a Ventilating means for footwear con-y sisting of an insoleto be inserted in a boot,

shoe or the like with means forinspirating.

and expirating air thereinto, the air being expelled into the front portion of the foot-l y wear and beneath the sole of the foot in a y manner to be presently noted.

Another object of the invention is to provide a Ventilating` insole of the character above set forth embodying an extension .thereof engaging the heel and back of the vleg and adapted to extend to the top of the y shoe upper and containing channels `to conappear,

duct air down into the Ventilating insole. In addition to the foregoing. this invention comprehends improvements in the de-v tails of construction rand arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and particularly set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which similar and corresponding parts are designated by the same characters of reference throughout the several views in Figure 1 is a view in perspective of an insole constructedin accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a view of the insole in longitudinal section illustrating a shoe in dotted lines. f 'k i Figure 3 is a view in perspective'of the valve 'members and resilient means, and

IFigures 4, 5 and 6 are detailed sections taken on the llines 4/4, 5/5 and 6/6 respectively of Figure"2.

With reference to the drawings 10 indiyCates generally the sole portion, 11 the heel portion and 12 an extension of the heelv portion' designed to cover the `tendo Achillis and constituting an air conduit. The sole and heel portion consists of an upper layer which theyl 13 of flexible material such as rubberizedv cloth or the like and 14' a bottom layer of similar material. At the heel there is interposed between the layers a resilient elementv shown in Fig. 3 and consisting of two leaves,

an upper leaf 15 and a lower leaf 16 inte`` grally connected at one end withV their opposite ends normally in spaced relation and v conforming to the shapeof the heel. 'I`he lower leaf 16 is securedfto the bottomllayer 14 `and the edges of the leaf 15 are provided of the layers 13 and 14 are-yextendedupward as at.20 and 21 to form the extension 12.`

Said extension is provided with a4 lilling layer 22 interposed between the layers 20 and 21and are provided with channels 2'3 opening at thevupper end of the extension vto the atmosphere and communica-ting at l theirnlow'er end with the space` above the leaf 15, a partition strip 24 being-located' between the leaf 15 and the layer v13 separating the chamber 19 from they lower end of said channels 23. yAn inlet opening .25is formed inthe leaf 15 at the right side of said strip 24 and an outlet opening 26 isformed in said leaf at the left `hand side of said strip. Said openings are normally closed `by means of the flap valvesl 27 and 28 located respectively beneath and, above the top leaf 15 and may consistof strips of fabl ric secured at one or more edges to the leaf,

leaving one edge free. Strips of thi'cker rigid material i29 are secured tothe free edges of said valves tol rendervthem noiseless during operation. Interposed between the layers 13 and 14 and between the layer- 13 and the leaf'15 yis alilling 30 provided with channels 31 runningthe full length of the sole portion, the top layer 13 lhaving perforations 32 communicating withsaid channels, the perforations being preferably lol" cated both atthe heel and toe portions of the insole. In opera-tion, the insole is inserted into a shoe or the likewith the upper end of the extension 12 located at thetop edge of the Shoe upper. During the actlof walking the f weight. of the body resting on the heel portion of the device will depress .thetop leaf 15 thus forcing the air in the chamber 18 through the opening 26 Vinto the chamber 19? and along the channels 3l.' Vand out through the perforations 32.

W'hen the foot is lifted the inherentresiln iency of the leaves l5 and 16 will cause them to separate and the chamber 18 will become again filled with air drawn in through the channels 23 of the extension and through the valve opening525.: 'By constant repetition of this process fresh air is constantly withdrawn from the outside ofthe shoe and forced beneath the sole of the foot and throughout the'interior of the shoe. It will thus be seen that since'the insole is separable from the shoe within which the same is to be inserted, that the extended heel portion lf2 will be moved upwardly and downwardly with the foot during the act of walking and consequently .will prevent any friction which might otherwise beproduced by the heel of tble foot rubbing against the lining of the s oe.

l It has been my experience that the burning sensation on the soles of the feet complained of by persons who are required to do much standing or walking is caused by lack of ventilation of the footwear and I have found that this trouble as well as all other foot troubles and discomforts are entirely eliminated by Shoe ventilation. I am aware that devices for Ventilating shoes have heretofore been provided but in each instance i* they' necessitate an alteration of the shoe structure or a special shoe. I am not aware that an insole has been provided intended to be inserted in any shoe without altering the construction thereof and which will effectually ventilate the shoe by forcing air in one direction through the shoe by means of valves and an.inspiratingmechanism.

In the event that the resiliency of the leaf members should not be sufficient to ensure their separation I may provide a coiled spring 33 inserted therebetween. I also may provide means to render the device inoperative when occasion requires, such as for instance when going out doors or during eX- tremely cold weather. The means may consist ofascrew 84 penetrating both of the leaves l5 and 16 and the lower layer lei with a nut applied to the end of the screw. yremovable strip 35 covering an opening in the top layer overthe head of the screw may be removed to permit access thereto. By tightening the screw both leaves are forced together. If desired a means for securing the insole in theshoe may be utilized such` for instance as a pair of bolts 36 which may pass through openings 87 in the leaves l5 and 16 and. through thesole of the shoe l'as shown in Figure 2.

'While I have illustrated anddescribed my y invention with some degree of particularity I realize 'that in practise various alterations may ybemade therein; I therefore reserve the right 'and privilege of changing the form of the details of construction or otherwise yrearranging the order of the correlated parte,

without depart-ing from the spirit of the in vention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what l claimfas new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A shoe insole comprising flexible layers of material having an extension on the heel portion of the insole to engage the back of the foot and t0 terminate at the top of the shoe upper, said extension having air channels and movable within the shoe and with the foot during the act of walking, said insole having air eX-it openings, and means operable upon compression and release of the insole to inspirate through said channels and eXpirate through the exit openings.

2. An independent shoe insole comprising spaced superposed layers provided with sets of openings in one of said layers, and means operable upon compression of the layers toward each other and subsequent release to inspir'ate through one set of openings and eXpirate through the other, said insole being movable withinthe shoe and with the foot during the act of walking.

3. An independent shoe insole comprising` superposed spaced layers secured together at their edges, said insole having inlet openings at one endand exit openings at the other end, and means operable .upon compression of the layers toward each other andsubsequent release to inspirate through one set of openings and eXpirate through the other, said insole being` movable within the shoe and with the foot during theact of walking.

41S.V An insole comprising spaced layers of flexible material, said insole having inlet openings at one end andveXit openings at the other end, a resilient leaf between the layers dividing` the space therebetween into two compartments, and means operable upon compression of said leafand the layers towardl each other and subsequent release to inspirate through one set of openings and eXpirate through the other.

5. An insole comprising spaced layers of flexible material, a resilient element of diverging leaves inserted. between saidl layers dividing the space therebetween intotwo compartments, one above and one below the uppermost leaf, said insole having an inlet and. outlet openings, and valve means located on the uppermost leaf operable to transfer air from one compartment 'to the other when the resilient member is-cornpressed.y

6. An insole comprising spaced layers, a resilient element composed of diverging leaves interposed between the layers, divid- `ing the space therebetween into a compartment above and below the uppermost leaf,` a partition inv the compartment above the leaf, said top leaf having a pair of openings one at each side of said partition, and valve means controlling said openings and adapted to permit the passage of air from one compartment to the other and from the exterior of the device into vthe lower compartment.

7. An insole comprising spaced layers, a V-shaped resilient element located therein.` valvel means in theresilient element adapted to inspirate and eXpirate throughout the insole upon compression of the resilient meinber, and means for binding together the parts of the V-shaped member When occasion requires to render the same inoperative.

l 8. An insole comprising a. sole portion, a heel portion, and an extension of said heel portion, all of Which consists of spaced layers of flexible material, filling material between said layers, the sole and heel portion having apluralitv of channels in said filling.

material, said channels having their inner terminals in the heel portion, said extension having channels also terminating in the heel portion, and an inspirating and expirating the extension andexpirate into' the channel terminals of the sole and heel portion.

9. An independent shoe insole of the class described comprising a ventilated sole of flexible material having an extended heel portion, means operable upon compression and release of the insole to inspirate and` eX- pirate, said extended heel portion being movable Within the shoe and With the foot during the act of Walking thereby preventing frictionbetvveenthe Jfoot and the lining of the shoe.

In .testimony whereof I aiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

` JOSEPH KLEPAC.

Witnesses: v

L. E. WILLMOTT. MARY KATHARINE GEYER. 

